ThinkabaraRiley: meaning and origin
Riley
“Courageous; also a rye meadow”
About the name Riley
Riley is a girl or a boy’s name from the Irish tradition. Its meaning is “courageous; also a rye meadow”. Names from Irish Gaelic, often linked to nature, saints and heroes of old Irish stories — like Aiden, Maeve, Ronan and Keira.
More names with a similar meaning: names that mean strength, nature names.
Tips before you choose
- Say the full name out loud with your last name, and with any middle name.
- Check the initials — and what they spell.
- Think about nicknames kids might make from it.
- Write it down: is the spelling easy for teachers and friends?
More Irish names
- Aiden 👦Little fire · Irish
- Aoife 👧Beauty, radiance · Irish
- Brendan 👦Prince; Saint Brendan the Navigator · Irish
- Bridget 👧Strength, exalted one · Irish
- Ciara 👧Dark-haired · Irish
- Cillian 👦Little church; also bright-headed · Irish
- Connor 👦Lover of hounds · Irish
- Cormac 👦Son of the charioteer · Irish
- Declan 👦Full of goodness; an Irish saint · Irish
- Erin 👧Ireland · Irish
- Finley 🧒Fair-haired warrior · Irish
- Finn 👦Fair, white; the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill · Irish
Sibling name ideas (Irish, girls and boys)
- Aiden 👦Little fire · Irish
- Aoife 👧Beauty, radiance · Irish
- Brendan 👦Prince; Saint Brendan the Navigator · Irish
- Bridget 👧Strength, exalted one · Irish
- Ciara 👧Dark-haired · Irish
- Cillian 👦Little church; also bright-headed · Irish
- Connor 👦Lover of hounds · Irish
- Cormac 👦Son of the charioteer · Irish
More unisex names starting with R
- Reese 🧒Enthusiasm; an English spelling of Rhys · Welsh
- Remy 🧒Oarsman, from Reims · French
- River 🧒A flowing body of water · English
- Robin 🧒Bright fame; also the songbird · English
- Rory 🧒Red king · Irish
- Rowan 🧒Little red one; also the rowan tree · Irish
Questions and answers
What does the name Riley mean?
Riley is a name of Irish origin. It means: courageous; also a rye meadow.
Is Riley a boy or girl name?
Riley is used for both girls and boys in the US.
How many syllables does Riley have?
Riley has 5 letters and about 2 syllables.
Is Riley a popular name?
Yes. Riley has been near the top of US baby-name lists in recent years. Names marked “popular now” have been near the top of US baby-name lists in recent years. This is an approximate guide, not an official ranking; see the Social Security Administration’s baby names site for official counts.